Modular pump assembly

ABSTRACT

A modular pump assembly for pumping a viscous liquid, such as liquid manure. The viscous liquid is conveyed under pressure from an admission line to an evacuation line. The assembly has a base between the admission and evacuation lines. The base receives and conveys the liquid manure. The base can also be partitioned into separate sections  14  or chambers, thereby increasing pumping capacity and efficiency. At least one pump is vertically mounted to the base, and operates in a receiving configuration for receiving the liquid manure, and a pumping configuration for pumping the liquid manure. The inlet and out of the base are adjacent or coterminous with either another pump&#39;s inlet and outlet, or with another assembly, thereby allowing a pressurized flow of liquid manure through multiples pumps and/or assemblies arranged in series.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a pump. More particularly, the present invention relates to a modular piston pump and to a circuit provided with such a modular piston pump.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

It is well known in the prior art that a vertical piston pump can be used for the transfer of a relatively viscous liquid and/or substance, such as liquid manure, for example.

One of the main problems of such a pump, often a single-piston pump, is the intermittent pumping action. The liquid manure movement stops during the part of the cycle when the pump is filling its chamber. Indeed, for every pumping cycle, the pump has to fight the inertia of the material in the evacuation line, thus wasting energy. This type of system is not efficient for the transfer of manure. Furthermore, the transfer rate is determined by pump capabilities and not by the actual pumping needs on site, which represents a major incompatibility with a process needing a continuous and calibrated flow.

One of the solutions proposed in the art is to use two piston pumps which can operate alternatively (i.e. operate in relative synchronization), thereby maintaining a continuous flow of liquid manure throughout the pumping circuit.

However, dual-pumping systems present their own disadvantages. As but one example, it is also well known in the prior art to connect two or more piston pumps together in parallel with a piping system so as to form a “Y-connection” for transferring liquid manure, as exemplified in FIG. 4 (and as can be seen from prior art pumps shown in FIGS. 1 to 3), for example. One of the problems associated with such a configuration is that the flow of liquid manure is easily restricted at the junction of the Y-connection, causing bottlenecks, and raising the energy needed to push the liquid manure in the evacuation line. Also, this type of installation is highly susceptible to the gripping and aggregation of fibres contained in the liquid manure. Typically, this accumulation will grow over time, creating even more restriction. After a relatively short period of time, this blockage will completely plug the evacuation line, which is very undesirable for obvious reasons. As a result, one has to completely shut down the system, further increasing maintenance times and associated costs, as well as to deal with the blockage which is understandably best avoided.

Another disadvantage of the installation of many pumps in parallel configuration is the additional floor space required. With many small machines and/or pumps, one obtains a big final overall installation because of piping require to connect all the pumps. The wasted ground space, the wasted energy resulting from the restriction, the wasted time to unplug the evacuation line, etc., are all factors which create long term overcharges for customers, which is also very undesirable.

Yet another disadvantage of the piston pumps known in the prior art for the transfer of liquid manure is that most pumps are designed and function for relatively low-viscosity liquid manure transfer having only a medium or low flow resistance. Pumping heavy manure with a low moisture content and high fibre content is a major technological challenge, and known pumps and pump systems are often not able to accomplish this functionality because of the restriction and gripping sources discussed above.

Hence, in light of the aforementioned, there is a need for an improved system which, by virtue of its design and components, would be able to overcome or at least minimize some of the aforementioned prior art problems.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The object of the present invention is to provide a pump and pump assembly which satisfies some of the above-mentioned needs and which is thus an improvement over other related piston pumps and/or pumping methods known in the prior art.

In accordance with the present invention, the above object is achieved, as will be easily understood, with a modular pump assembly such as the one briefly described herein and such as the one exemplified in the accompanying drawings.

More particularly, and according to the present invention, there is provided a modular pump assembly for pumping a viscous liquid, the viscous liquid being conveyed under pressure from at least one admission line to at least one evacuation line, the pump assembly comprising:

-   -   a base disposed between the admission and evacuation lines, the         base being configured for receiving the viscous liquid and for         conveying the viscous liquid;     -   at least one pump mountable about the base and comprising a pump         chamber, an inlet, and an outlet, the at least one pump being         operable between a receiving configuration wherein the viscous         liquid is received via the inlet into the pump chamber, and a         pumping configuration wherein the viscous liquid is pumped from         the pump chamber and out the outlet; and     -   wherein the outlet of the at least one pump is configurable for         being coterminous with the inlet of an adjacent pump, the         viscous liquid being thereby pumpable from at least one pump to         at least one other pump being configurable in series, and on         down the line.

According to the present invention, there is also provided a fluid circuit for pumping a liquid substance under pressure, the fluid circuit comprising:

-   -   an admission line for receiving the liquid substance;     -   an evacuation line for conveying the liquid substance; and     -   a plurality of modular pump assemblies according to the modular         pump assembly described above, each pump assembly being         configurable to operate in series with at least one adjacent         pump assembly, the plurality of pump assemblies disposed between         the admission and the evacuation lines and providing a pressure         to the liquid substance, thereby pumping the liquid substance         under pressure through the fluid circuit.

Such a pump assembly and fluid circuit advantageously allow for the efficient pumping of a viscous liquid, such as liquid manure, in a sequential or “in-line” fashion, which minimizes areas which may cause restrictions or blockages, and which reduces both the surface area and the energy required for a given circuit. The pump assembly is also modular, and can be easily connected to function with other like pump assemblies, thereby amplifying the pumping capacity available in a given circuit while not increasing the surface area of the pumping installation.

Preferably, the base is a modular chamber capable of allowing the liquid manure to flow in at least two directions. The base can be partitioned into sections so that when at least two pumps are used, each section can be used only for an inflow and/or an outflow of the liquid manure. The base and/or modular assembly can also include many pumps, preferably configured in series and preferably vertical piston pumps, thereby increasing the available pumping power.

A check valve included in the pump further adds to the efficiency of the circuit by eliminating the build-up of gasses from the liquid manure being pumped in the pump chamber, thereby increasing the effective stroke of the pump and allowing it to operate more efficiently.

In a preferred embodiment, at least two pumps operate in a synchronized or “alternative” fashion. Essentially, when one pump is pumping the liquid manure while in the pumping configuration, the other pump (being configured downstream and in series) is receiving the liquid manure pumped from the first pump and is in the receiving configuration. This advantageously allows a continuous flow of fluid manure through a single pump assembly and/or fluid circuit, and thus prevents the inertial stalling of liquid manure in the circuit and/or locking of the pump.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of installing (i.e. assembling) the above-mentioned piston pump and/or fluid circuit.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of operating the above-mentioned piston pump and/or fluid circuit.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a kit with corresponding components for assembling the above-mentioned piston pump and/or fluid circuit.

According to yet another aspect of the present invention, there is also provided a method of assembling components of the above-mentioned kit.

According to yet another aspect of the present invention, there is also provided a method of doing business with the above-mentioned kit, piston pump, fluid circuit and/or method(s).

According to yet another aspect of the present invention, there is also provided a fluid having been treated with the above-mentioned kit, piston pump, fluid circuit and/or method(s).

The objects, advantages and other features of the present invention will become more apparent upon reading of the following non-restrictive description of preferred embodiments thereof, given for the purpose of exemplification only, with reference to the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a prior art piston pump art.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of another prior art piston pump.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of yet another prior art piston pump.

FIG. 4 is a top view of prior art piston-pump circuit.

FIG. 5 is a top view of a piston-pump circuit, according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is an exploded perspective view of a modular pump assembly, according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of another modular pump assembly, according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a front or rear view of what is shown in FIG. 7.

FIG. 9 is a top view of what is shown in FIG. 7.

FIG. 10 is front view of a modular pump assembly having a piston pump, according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the piston pump being shown in a closed position.

FIG. 11 is front view the modular pump assembly having a piston pump of FIG. 11, the piston pump being shown in an open position.

FIG. 12 is a front view of a base of a modular pump assembly, according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 13 is a perspective view of multiple modular pump assemblies configured in series, according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 14 is a photograph of a flap gate module of a modular pump assembly, according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

In the following description, the same numerical references refer to similar elements. The embodiments, geometrical configurations, materials mentioned and/or dimensions shown in the figures or described in the present description are preferred embodiments only, given for exemplification purposes only.

Moreover, although the present invention was primarily designed for transferring relatively viscous liquids, such as liquid manure, via at least one pump, preferably built along a vertical configuration, it may be used with other types of pumps and objects, and for other types of substances (i.e. low-viscosity liquids, sludge, slurries, compounds, etc.) and in other fields, as apparent to a person skilled in the art. For this reason, expressions such as “piston”, “pump”, “fluid”, “viscous”, “liquid”, “manure”, “fiber”, “vertical”, “configuration”, etc., used herein should not be taken as to limit the scope of the present invention and includes all other kinds of objects or fields with which the present invention could be used and may be useful.

Moreover, in the context of the present invention, the expressions “piston”, “pump”, “kit”, “circuit”, “device”, “assembly”, “system”, “machine”, “unit” and any other equivalent expression and/or compound words thereof known in the art will be used interchangeably. Furthermore, the same applies for any other mutually equivalent expressions, such as “extracting”, “receiving”, “suction”, “drawing” and “pumping”, or “fluid”, “liquid”, “air”, “substance”, “solid”, “flow” and “stream”, or even “vertical”, “horizontal” and “slanted” for example, as also apparent to a person skilled in the art.

Furthermore, in the context of the present description, it will be considered that expressions such as “connected” and “connectable”, or “mounted” and “mountable”, may be interchangeable.

In addition, although the preferred embodiment of the present invention as illustrated in the accompanying drawings may comprise various components, and although the preferred embodiment of the modular pump assembly as shown consists of certain geometrical configurations as explained and illustrated herein, not all of these components and geometries are essential to the invention and thus should not be taken in their restrictive sense, i.e. should not be taken as to limit the scope of the present invention. It is to be understood, as also apparent to a person skilled in the art, that other suitable components and cooperation thereinbetween, as well as other suitable geometrical configurations may be used for the pump assembly and corresponding parts according to the present invention, as will be briefly explained hereinafter and as can be easily inferred herefrom by a person skilled in the art, without departing from the scope of the invention.

Broadly described, the present invention, as illustrated in the accompanying drawings, relates to a modular pump assembly intended to transfer a viscous liquid such as liquid manure with or without solids (ex. fibres, etc.). Some of the applications for which the present invention can be used or may be useful include pumping or transferring liquids that may contain solids, adjusting and controlling the flow of said liquids with high stability and precision, and this, over short or long distances. Preferably, the pump assembly has a piston pump built in a vertical position, the mechanical components of the piston pump being placed above the pump chamber, as understood in the field of pumps and the like. The present pump assembly is preferably of a simple design and inexpensive to manufacture. As will be shown hereinbelow, the present pump assembly and corresponding fluid circuit possess several advantages when compared to conventional piston pumps known in the art.

As can be easily understood by a person skilled in the art when referring to the accompanying drawings, the following preferred components and features of the present pump assembly offer several advantages with respect to the prior art, as will be explained in greater detail hereinbelow.

Referring to FIG. 6, the modular pump assembly 1 consists of a base 10 and at least one pump 20. It is understood that the term “modular” as used herein can explain the functionality of the pump assembly 1 and its components, and the advantages provided thereby. More specifically, the term “modular” implies the use of “modules”, which are understood to be a set of components (i.e. pumps, pistons, bases, gaskets, seals, etc.) of the pump assembly 1 that are standardized and/or independent, and which can be used to construct a more complex structure such as the pump assembly 1 itself, for example, or to connect a plurality of pump assemblies 1 and/or pumps together, either in series or in parallel, as explained below.

The assembly 1 operates so as to pump a viscous liquid, which is preferably liquid manure, under pressure. By “viscous liquid”, it is understood that fluid being pumped by the assembly 1 requires energy to be pumped so as to overcome frictional or inertial forces which result from the movement of the fluid. As such, the term “viscous liquid” is not restricted to describing only those fluids which generate high inertial or frictional forces (such as a sludge, a slurry, etc.), and applies equally to those fluids, of low, moderate, or high viscosity. For the sake of simplification, and so as to better exemplify the embodiments described herein, the term “viscous liquid” may be interchanged herein with “liquid manure”. It is understood in the art that liquid manure is not necessarily a homogenous and uniform fluid, and that it can be a highly viscous substance, the viscosity depending on many factors such as, but not limited to, the moisture content of the manure, the quantity of manure fibre present, the pressure under which the liquid manure is pumped, etc.

The liquid manure is conveyed under pressure in a line. The term “line” as used herein can refer to conduits, pipes, plumbing, etc. which conveys the liquid manure from one area to another. As such, the liquid manure can enter the assembly 1 from an admission line 30. The admission line 30 can consist of plumbing or any known arrangement of pipes which provides a source of liquid manure from a reception pit or pool where such material is collected. The evacuation line 40 preferably conveys the liquid manure after being pumped by the assembly 1 and/or a series of assemblies 1 to another lagoon/pit/receptacle for further treatment or disposal. It is apparent that the directional lines 30,40 shown in FIG. 6 are for exemplification purposes, and that the liquid manure can travel in the opposite direction as that indicated by lines 30,40, for example. It is also understood that the liquid manure does not necessarily enter the assembly 1 directly from the admission 30, and that the assembly 1 can receive the liquid manure from another adjacent assembly 1 and/or pump, as explained below.

The liquid manure is conveyed through the line “under pressure”, preferably meaning that the assembly 1 and/or series of assemblies 1 operate such that the liquid manure is suctioned from the reception pit via the admission line 30, is then given additional pressure capacity by the assembly 1, and then pumped on through the evacuation line 40 to a site for final disposal/treatment. Thus the admission and evacuation lines 30,40, in cooperation with the modular pump assembly 1 further described below, constitute a fluid circuit 50 for pumping liquid manure from one area to another, as exemplified in FIG. 5.

Turning to the components and features of the modular pump assembly 1, the base 10 is positioned somewhere between the admission and receiving lines 30,40, and receives the liquid manure from the admission line 30 and/or another assembly 1. The base 10 is also configured to convey the liquid manure out of the base 10, and out of the assembly 1, preferably down the line to either another assembly 1, or to the evacuation line 40.

Preferably, the base 10 is a rounded pipe (as shown in FIG. 10) or conduit, although other known shapes (oval, rectangular, pyramidal, etc.) are possible and within the scope of the invention. The base 10 is preferably made of suitable materials known in the art (i.e. alloyed steel, aluminum, polymers, etc.) which provide the base 10 with the structural reinforcement necessary to withstand pressure forces, and which resists corrosion. The base 10, either in rounded pipe form or otherwise, can be a bidirectional modular chamber 9. The term “bidirectional” is understood in the context of the invention to mean that the base 10 can convey and/or store liquid manure in more than one direction, preferably two directions. As but one example of such a configuration, the bidirectional chamber 9 can convey liquid manure flowing from the admission line 30 to the evacuation line 40, but can equally convey liquid manure flowing from the evacuation line 40 to the admission line 30, thus accommodating liquid manure flowing in at least two directions when the pumps of the assembly 1 are configured for this directional liquid manure flow. Preferably, a reversing mechanism 17 can be used to reverse the flow of liquid manure through assemblies 1, as shown in FIGS. 8 and 9.

The bidirectional chamber 9 can be divided or portioned by an internal partition 12, which divides the bidirectional chamber 9 into at least two sections 14. Preferably, the partition 12 is configured to vertically divide the chamber 9 into two sections (as shown in FIG. 12), although it is understood that a horizontal or inclined division is within the scope of the present invention. As further explained below, one of sections 14 can be used to convey/receive the liquid manure in one direction, while the other of sections 14 can be used to convey/receive the liquid manure in another direction. To that end, each section 14 or group of sections 14 is preferably connected to at least one pump, and cooperates with this pump, as further explained below.

The at least one pump 20 is mounted about the base 10 and consists of a pump chamber 22, an inlet 24, and an outlet 26. The pump 20 is preferably vertically mounted to the base 10, and is preferably a piston pump 20, thus providing a vertically-mounted piston pump 20. It is understood that the term “vertical” as used herein does not require to the pump 20 to project perpendicularly from the base 10 and/or ground, and includes a piston pump 20 inclined and/or angled at any inclination and/or angle. Alternatively, the pump 20 can be mounted about the base 10 in the horizontal or any inclination therefrom which would allow the pump 20 to perform its functions, as further explained below.

The pump 20 operates between two configurations: a receiving configuration, and a pumping configuration. In the receiving configuration, the pump 20 receives the liquid manure via the inlet 24 and into the pump chamber 22. As explained above, the liquid manure can be received from the admission line 30 as exemplified in FIG. 6, or from another modular pump assembly 1 upstream of the pump 20. In the pumping configuration, the pump 20 pumps (i.e. expulses under pressure) the liquid manure from the pump chamber 22 via the outlet 26 down the line (either to the evacuation line 40 or to another modular pump assembly 1 downstream).

In a preferred embodiment, there is provided a plurality of pumps 20, preferably two pumps 20. These pumps 20 can be mounted about the same base 10, or different bases 10, depending on site and pumping requirements. The pumps 20 are mounted in series and/or sequentially. In the context of the present invention, the terms “in series”, “in-line”, “sequentially”, etc. or any other similar term used to describe the configuration of the pumps 20 and/or the assembly 1, are understood to mean that the pumps 20 and/or the assembly 1 is disposed such that the exit of one of these elements is sufficiently adjacent and connected to the entrance of a subsequent one of these elements, which is ether immediately upstream and/or downstream. According to a preferred embodiment, a plurality of assemblies 1 can be mounted in series, as shown in FIG. 13.

Referring to FIGS. 10 and 11, in a preferred embodiment where the pump 20 is a vertical piston pump 20, the pump 20 will have a top portion 20 a and a bottom portion 20 b. The piston 28 operating within the pump 20 operates so as to pump the liquid manure by descending within the pump 20 and thus applying pressure to the liquid manure therein (known as the “down-stroke” position). The piston 28 also operates so as to receive the liquid manure by rising within the pump 20, thus creating a pressure differential which is alleviated by the liquid manure entering the pump 20 (known as the “up-stroke” position). The movement of the piston 28 up and down can be accomplished by known actuators, for example.

The piston 28 is preferably operated between the receiving configuration and the pumping configuration. In the receiving configuration, the piston 28 preferably moves from its down-stroke position to its up-stroke position, and thus is positioned near the top portion 20 a of the pump 20. In the pumping configuration, the piston 28 preferably moves from its up-stroke position to its down-stroke position, and thus is positioned near the bottom portion 20 b of the pump 20. When moving from the up-stroke to the down-stroke position, the piston 28 may have to act against gasses that have accumulated within the pump 20 by being released from the liquid manure. These gasses can affect the efficiency of pumping operations, and it is thus desirable to evacuate them from the pump 20. The pump 20 and/or piston 28 therefore preferably has a check valve 15 for evacuating the gasses from the pump chamber 22, and the check valve 15 is preferably positioned near the bottom portion 20 b of the pump 20 so as to evacuate the gasses when the piston 28 is in, or transitioning towards, the down-stroke position. Preferably, the check valves 15 include doors that are designed to not interfere with the viscous liquid and/or liquid manure being pumped by each pump 20, thereby reducing any flow restriction and gripping possibility for long fibres and solid particles contained in liquid manure.

The pump 20 can also be provided with a pumping tube 3, a canalization chamber 5 which connects to the pumping tube 3 and is preferably lower than the pumping tube 3. Both the pumping tube 3 and canalization chamber 5 preferably define the pump chamber 22. A flap gate module 7 is preferably connected to the base of the canalization chamber 5, and can facilitate and/or control the directional flow of the liquid manure through the pump chamber 22. The flap gate module 7 can also provide directional control between the sections 14 and their respective pumps 20. An example of such a flap gate module is shown in FIG. 13. As shown in FIGS. 6 and 9, the pump 20 can also be provided with an adapter 25 before its inlet 24 and after its outlet 26. The adapter 25 preferably provides directional aid to the liquid manure being pumped into and out of the pump 20, thereby rendering the flow of liquid manure more uniform and easier to pump. Preferably, the liquid manure enters the assembly 1 via the adapter 25 at the inlet 24 into one of the sections 14 of the chamber 9 of a given pump 20. The liquid manure can then exit via the other section 14 of the chamber 9, and out of the other adapter 25 near the outlet 26. Thus, it is understood that each adapter 25 directs the flow of liquid manure into only one of the sections 14 of the chamber 9.

Having discussed some of components of the assembly 1, attention is now turned to the operation of the assembly 1 either alone, or in conjunction with other assemblies 1 and/or pumps 20.

The outlet 26 of the pump 20 is coterminous with the inlet 24 of an adjacent pump 20. By “coterminous”, it is understood that the adjacent outlet 26/inlet 24 share substantially the same boundaries or extent, and are thus able to communicate the liquid manure flowing out of one and into the other. The adjacent inlet 24 and/or pump 20 is understood to be near the upstream outlet 26 and/or pump 20 such that fluid communication is permissible. As but one example of such a configuration, and as exemplified in FIG. 7, the outlet 26 is in direct contact with the inlet 24 such that the liquid manure can be pumped directly from the outlet 26 into the inlet 24 of the adjacent assembly 1. Preferably, both the outlet 26 and the inlet 24 are coterminous such that the internal partitions 12 of both bases 10 are aligned.

It is thus understood that this configuration of outlet 26 and inlet 24 allows adjacent pump assemblies 1 to be configured in series or sequentially, thereby maximizing the pumping capacity that can be imparted to the fluid circuit. This configuration also advantageously facilitates the modularity of the assembly 1 and its components by allowing multiple assemblies 1 and/or pumps 20 to be aligned and share bases 10. It is also understood that, as the bidirectional chamber 9 permits liquid manure movement in two directions, the designation of inlet 24 and outlet 26 can vary and be reversed.

In another preferred embodiment, the base 10 includes at least one first section group 14 c,14 d and at least one second section group 14 a,14 b. These section groups are created by the vertical internal partition 12, as explained above. In a preferred configuration, where two assemblies 1 each having one pump 20 operating in series, as exemplified in FIG. 6, each section group 14 can be connected to a corresponding pump 20.

As but one example of such a configuration, first section group 14 c,14 d can be in fluid communication with each other via the gasket 11 and the flap gate module 7, which can prevent fluid flowing from one section 14 into the other 14 of a given pump 20. This section group 14 c,14 d cooperates with its corresponding pump 20, shown on the left-hand side of FIG. 6. Section group 14 a,14 b are similarly configured and cooperate in the same fashion with their pump 20 shown on the right-hand side. Both section groups 14 a,14 b and 14 c,14 d can be connected to permit fluid communication via the corresponding outlet 26 and inlet 24.

During operating, when the leftmost pump 20 is in the receiving configuration, section group 14 c,14 d can fill with liquid manure and transfer it to the pump chamber 22. Preferably simultaneously, the rightmost pump 20 is in the pumping configuration, and pumps the liquid manure out of its pump chamber 22 through section group 14 a,14 b and out its outlet 26. Then, the two pumps 20 can alternate, with the leftmost pump 20 entering the pumping configuration and the rightmost pump 20 entering the receiving configuration for receiving liquid manure from the leftmost pump 20. It is thus apparent how multiple pumps 20 and/or assemblies 1 arranged in series can cooperate so as to achieve a continuous flow of liquid manure by “synchronizing” or coordinating their respective movements.

According to another preferred embodiment, section groups 14 a,14 d and 14 b,14 c can cooperate together, and each section group is functionally connected to both pumps 20. In such a configuration, section group 14 a,14 d can act as a receiving conduit, supplying the liquid manure to be pumped to both pumps 20 when they are in their receiving configurations. Section group 14 b,14 c can act as an evacuation conduit, receiving the liquid manure from both pumps 20 when they are in their pumping configurations. The pumps 20 in such a configuration would operate in synchronization as well, albeit different from the synchronization described in the preceding paragraph, as apparent to a person skilled in the art.

Furthermore, the present invention is a substantial improvement over the prior art in that, by virtue of its design and components, the assembly 1 is simple and easy to operate, as well as is simple and easy to manufacture and/or assemble, without compromising the reliability of its functions. Hence, it may now be appreciated that the present invention represents important advantages over other pump assemblies and other pumps known in the prior art, in that the assembly 1 according to the present invention enables the efficient and low-maintenance pumping of viscous liquids such as liquid manure, due namely to its simple but innovative assembly components and its ability to easily cooperated with other assemblies 1 and/or pumps 20, as briefly explained hereinabove.

It can thus now be appreciated that assembly 1 can be a modular piston pump allowing the transfer of high or low viscosity liquid manure, containing or not long fibres, and other solid materials. The presence of check valves 15 within the pump 20 further permits the efficient operation of each pump by evacuating gaseous “head” that may accumulate and deleteriously affect the operation of said pump 20.

The assembly also allows for a more uniform and stable flow of liquid manure, which allows for the calibration of a transfer rate or liquid manure according to a particular customer's process. Furthermore, the compact construction of the modular pump assembly 1 allows space saving in comparison with a standard installation using many individual machines connected together in parallel with piping and connected to a main pipe with Y connections. The floor space saving is a big advantage for customers, as can be easily understood when contrasting FIG. 4 (prior art) with FIG. 5.

Indeed, the preferred “in line” construction of the modular pump assembly 1 eliminates flow restriction sources coming from elbows and Y connections of the piping. This flow restriction diminution represents an important energy saving for customers, thus requiring less energy for the transfer of a given quantity of material.

Furthermore, the preferred “in line” construction of the modular pump assembly 1 according to the present invention eliminates the gripping sources for long fibres at the Y connection point that might accumulate so as to restrict flow or form a blockage, leading to a complete plugging of the line. This flow restriction diminution represents an important energy saving for customers. Also, the elimination of the gripping and build-up opportunities represents a major saving in maintenance work required to unplug piping, a generally unpleasant task, and eliminates many system shutdown occurrences.

The check valve 15 doors on the modular pump assembly 1 are preferably close to the down-stroke position during the pumping configuration of the pumping cycle. This short distance reduces the possibility of gas accumulation that would reduce the transfer volume for each cycle because gas is compressible and expandable. The vacuum effect that is applied to manure during the filling part of the cycle for each piston 28 (i.e. the receiving configuration), tends to extract gas contained in the liquid manure and create a gas accumulation under the piston 28. Without the check valve 15, that space would be lost for pumping. That efficiency increase represents an important energy savings for customers.

The alternative or synchronized operation of the pumps 20 allows for a stable and constant transfer rate of material in a continuous process, over a very long distance with low energy consumption. For the transfer of manure on a very long distance (up to many miles or kilometres), the material must not stop, otherwise the level of energy would be too high to restart the material movement, the solid particles would tend to sediment, build up and plug the evacuation line. The constant positive action in the evacuation line 40 according to the present invention results in energy savings, and savings in maintenance cost and system shutdowns.

Further advantageously, the total quantity of assemblies 1 and/or pumps 20 installed on “in-line” common bases 10 can be easily selected and installed so as to calibrate the transfer rate according to customer process needs, wants and/or other considerations.

Finally, and according to the present invention, the modular pump assembly 1 and corresponding parts are preferably made of substantially rigid materials, such as metallic materials, hardened polymers, composite materials, and/or the like, as well as possible combinations thereof, whereas other components of the present invention, in order to achieve the resulting advantages briefly discussed herein (ex. seal), can be made of a polymeric material (plastic, rubber, etc.), and/or the like, depending on the particular applications for which the modular pump assembly 1 is intended for and the different parameters in cause, as apparent to a person skilled in the art.

Of course, numerous modifications could be made to the above-described embodiments without departing from the scope of the invention, as apparent to a person skilled in the art. 

1. A modular pump assembly for pumping a viscous liquid, the viscous liquid being conveyed under pressure from at least one admission line to at least one evacuation line, the pump assembly comprising: a base disposed between the admission and evacuation lines, the base being configured for receiving the viscous liquid and for conveying the viscous liquid; at least one pump mountable about the base and comprising a pump chamber, an inlet, and an outlet, the at least one pump being operable between a receiving configuration wherein the viscous liquid is received via the inlet into the pump chamber, and a pumping configuration wherein the viscous liquid is pumped from the pump chamber and out the outlet; and wherein the outlet of the at least one pump is configurable for being coterminous with the inlet of an adjacent pump, the viscous liquid being thereby pumpable from the at least one pump to at least one other pump being configurable in series.
 2. A modular pump assembly according to claim 1, wherein the base comprises a bidirectional modular chamber pardonable by at least one internal partition, each internal partition creating at least two sections.
 3. A modular pump assembly according to claim 2, wherein each section (14) is functionally connectable to a corresponding pump.
 4. A modular pump assembly according to claim 3, wherein the base comprises first and second section groups, the first section group supplying the viscous liquid to be pumped by the corresponding pump operating in the receiving configuration, and the second section group receiving the viscous liquid pumped by another corresponding pump operating in the pumping configuration.
 5. A modular pump assembly according to claim 2, wherein the outlet of the at least one pump is configurable for being coterminous with the inlet of an adjacent pump at the internal partition.
 6. A modular pump assembly according to claim 1, wherein the at least one pump comprises a plurality of pumps, each pump being configurable in series and mountable about the base.
 7. A modular pump assembly according to claim 6, wherein the plurality of pumps comprises two pumps.
 8. A modular pump assembly according to claim 1, wherein the at least one pump is substantially vertically mountable about the base, the at least one pump comprising a top portion and a bottom portion.
 9. A modular pump assembly according to claim 8, wherein the at least one pump comprises at least one piston for pumping and receiving the viscous liquid, the at least one piston being operable between the receiving configuration wherein the at least one piston is positioned adjacent to the top portion upon receiving the viscous liquid in the pump chamber, and the pumping configuration wherein the at least one piston is positioned adjacent the bottom portion upon pumping the viscous liquid from the pump chamber.
 10. A modular pump assembly according to claim 8, wherein the at least one pump comprises at least one check valve being positionable adjacent to the bottom portion so as to facilitate a removal from the pump chamber of gasses in the viscous liquid.
 11. A modular pump assembly according to claim 1 comprising at least two pumps configured in series, each pump mountable about a separate base, a first of said at least two pumps operable in synchronization with a sequential second of said at least two pumps, wherein the first pump operates in the pumping configuration for pumping the viscous liquid from the pump chamber to the second pump, and the second pump simultaneously operates in the receiving configuration for receiving the viscous fluid from the first pump into the pump chamber of the second pump, thereby ensuring a continuous flow of viscous liquid from the first pump to the second pump.
 12. A modular pump assembly according to claim 1, wherein the base comprises a rounded pipe.
 13. A modular pump assembly according to claim 1, wherein the at least one pump comprises: a pumping tube; a canalization chamber functionally connectable to the pumping tube, the pumping tube and canalization chamber defining the pump chamber; and a flap gate module operatively connectable to the canalization chamber.
 14. A modular pump assembly according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the inlet or outlet of the at least one pump comprises an adapter for adapting a flow of the viscous liquid.
 15. A fluid circuit for pumping a liquid substance under pressure, the fluid circuit comprising: an admission line for receiving the liquid substance; an evacuation line for conveying the liquid substance; and a plurality of modular pump assemblies according to claim 14, each pump assembly being configurable to operate in series with at least one adjacent pump assembly, the plurality of pump assemblies disposed between the admission and the evacuation lines and providing a pressure to the liquid substance, thereby pumping the liquid substance under pressure through the fluid circuit. 